Wildlife Commission Features Amphibians and Reptiles in Raleigh, Saturday March 12th

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 7, 2016) â Hop on down to the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh on March 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for the 22nd annual Reptile and Amphibian Day.The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, along with the North Carolina chapter of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (NCPARC), will staff an exhibit on the third floor of the museum that features live reptiles and amphibians â collectively known as âherpsâ â with a special emphasis on frogs, which is this yearâs Reptile and Amphibian Day theme.The Commission and NCPARC have supported the event over the years to dispel myths and misconceptions about reptiles and amphibians in general and snakes in particular. See photos from last yearâs event on the Commissionâs Flickr page. One common misconception about snakes is that snakes are aggressive and will chase people â a belief that is far from the truth.âSnakes do not chase people and are, for the most part, not aggressive at all, preferring to be left alone,â said Jeff Hall, the NCPARC biologist and a herpetologist with the Commission who will be staffing the event on Saturday. âWhen confronted, snakes are more likely to lie still or seek escape, and will rarely bite unless stepped on or if picked up.âStaff will have the popular âSpot the Copperheadâ game that allows people to test their snake-identification skills, as well as herp-related give-away items, such as buttons, tattoos and stickers.Visitors can also learn about some of the projects Commission staff is working on to conserve reptile and amphibians in North Carolina. Bog turtles, green salamanders and sea turtles are just a few species that benefit from conservation work conducted by Commission biologists and funded through N.C. State Income tax donations given to the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Fund. Reptile and Amphibian Day is hosted annually by the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, which is located at 11 West Jones Street. The free event features more than 45 exhibitors and presenters. For more information about the event, visit the museumâs website. For more information on nongame conservation in North Carolina, visit www.ncwildlife.org/conserving